The Raven's Song
by Brownie151
Summary: Torn away from his Clan, thought dead by all but Firepaw and Greypaw, Ravenpaw set out to escape the clutches of Clan life. But, as Ravenpaw finds out, there was hope for him yet. And hope happened to be a stout black and white cat from the barn.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, hi. This is my first Warriors story and the only idea I had that I really liked was a Ravenpaw x Barley story because I'm a sucker for my barn bois.**

**I don't own any of the characters because I'm not Erin Hunter but i have changed it a little. One of the major changes is that Barley in the books is around 2 years here but in my story, both he and Ravenpaw are 10 moons. **

Rain beat down. You'll be safer out of the Clan, the orange tom had reassured him. Run away and you'll be safe. Run away and no harm will come to you. What a joke. Ravenpaw looked up at the black sky. No stars shone that night. He trudged on, the freezing rain pelting on his fur, flattening it and matting it down. He could barely move for the icy water that seeped into his fur, into his skin, into his bones. That night seemed to last for seasons on end.

The rain had stopped when he heard the barks. Harsh long calls that only the ugliest of creature could make. Dog. He jumped at the shrieks of mad animals. Skirting around the Twoleg nest, Ravenpaw ran past them as fast as he could. But it was too late. One of the dogs, the biggest, bit at the small cat's tail, making long trails of blood run along with him.

Of course, the adrenaline hit wore off quickly, leaving Ravenpaw in terrible shape. Wounded, depleted and weary, he set off at the same monotonous pace, slow and steady though he winced with every step. Ravenpaw began to shake with pain, all his cells screamed at him to sleep, to slow down, to stop. He couldn't. If he slept then, he'd bleed to death right there in the cold and wet. And then, whoevers territory he was in would have to wonder why an enemy warrior was dead in their land.

He reckoned it was Windclan, as the thick forest thinned into tall grasses and wide plains that stretched as far as the blackness would let him see. This place sent shivers down his spine. He wasn't welcome here and if he was caught, he'd be crowfood or worse. Of course, Windclan weren't here but Shadowclan might. However his heart flickered with hope. He had gone this way to the Moonstone, he was close to Barley's barn. Firepaw had told him to go here specifically, he'd told him Barley was a friend. That he could help him. The small Twoleg nest came closer with every step he took and with every step, he quickened. He was too close to fail now.

Now running towards the barn, Ravenpaw couldn't help but smile. So many weary hours. How long had it been to get here? The sky had lightened along with his thoughts and the moon had dipped low again, ready to disappear to give rise to the glorious sunshine. He raced between trees, leaping about like a kit. This place felt like home. It even smelt like he belonged here. This place was devoid of fear scent or perhaps he had lost his in the excitement. His short pelt had started to dry out but his tail wound was still open, bleeding openly with high risk of some nasty disease implanting itself there. He promised himself to get a cobweb for it or something. He wasn't going to throw away his chance here like he had in the Clan.

He found himself in front of the barn, suddenly nervous. What now? Did he knock? Did he ask to come in? Was Barley even here, and if he was, was he awake? Ravenpaw braced himself to get yelled at and slipped through the cat flap.

"Hello?" He called out, his high nervous voice echoing around the barn. He began to panic. Say Barley didn't like him, say Barley didn't want him here, s- Ravenpaw was caught off by a stout black and white cat with long shaggy fur and droopy ears, "What do you want?" Barley yelled at him harshly. Oh Starclan. Ravenpaw gulped and tried a weak smile "Oh I'm R-", he was caught off by Barley again, "I know who you are. You're a Clan cat. You have the smell in you." He wrinkled his nose humorously, so much so that Ravenpaw couldn't help but laugh. The black and white cat seemed less scary now, more like an equal.

"Why are you here?" Barley asked softly, his voice was low and quiet, like snow falling. It had a melodic tone to it too. Ravenpaw could listen to him talk for seasons and never get tired of its slow, lilting rhythm. "Long story short, I am dead to the Clans, quite literally." The dark tom's green eyes glistened, "And I've had to become a loner.". Nodding, Barley smiled,"Well, I could use some company. It might as well be you." His eyes brightened, they were a light yellow, less sharp that Greypaw's and deeper than anything he'd ever seen before. Like the sun's reflection on a river, Ravenpaw thought.

Barley got up and curled up in an empty piece of land. The ground was dusty and well-trodden and a strange swinging gate opened the place. Barley curled up in a hollow in the ground, lined with moss and feathers. Ravenpaw began to dig at the ground, finding it surprisingly soft. He grabbed some of Barley's moss and made his nest. Wearily, Ravenpaw lay down in his nest, his tired eyes closing before he could even say goodnight.


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, I'm very sorry this was late, I had a little work to do in the art industry and I'm back now. This is how I roll unfortunately, I just bounce from project to project. It's pretty fun, but you get nothing done on time and life's a mess. I wrote this pretty late at night so I apologise for bad grammar/spelling mistakes. **

That night, Ravenpaw dreamt of blood. He saw the longest claws in his life, stained with dark blood. Was this blood his? Surely not, he was clean of the red poison, his black fur blacker than ever. When Ravenpaw woke up, he tasted blood.

His eyes quickly adjusted to the rosy light, seeping into the barn, giving the world a dream-like haze. Barley was still asleep, he guessed loners don't get up at the same time as warriors. His tail twinged in pain as he leapt up, a little too quickly. Tigerclaw always wanted him to be prompt and alert. He never was prompt and alert.

Even in the barn, far from his mentor, Tigerclaw's amber eyes bored into him. Why are you not hunting yet Ravenpaw? Why are you still groggy, Ravenpaw? Don't eat before you have hunted, Ravenpaw! The black tom startled himself. He was safe here. It would be fine here. Barley looked plump as a kittypet so there must be good food here.

He couldn't help think of Firepaw and Greypaw. They couldn't be warriors yet, that's impossible. But he couldn't help think about Firepaw. The way his ginger pelt turned to flame in light, the way his green eyes sparkled when he had a usually stupid idea, the way his tail curled around him, just touching his nose so he sneezed. Firepaw.

Ravenpaw was so lost in his thoughts, that the dawn haze had cleared and Barley was awake and putting in new moss for his nest. Ravenpaw felt so awkward here, so strange. Like a duck with swans. He was so used to the Clan's ways, he didn't know how to care for himself, to try to not please others. What would Dustpaw say about him? His cowardice?

Barley poked him softly with his tail, "Hey, sleepy, do you want to go eat?". Barley's soft voice was already homely, it calmed him and brought him back to the here and now. Ravenpaw smiled, the barn was more welcoming and alive with one cat than the Clan, with about eight billion. "Sure."

Ravenpaw caught his first mouse in seconds. It was fat and big, probably the best mouse he'd ever caught. Barley laughed when he caught it. Barley laughed loudly, and so happily, you couldn't help but join in. For once in his miserable life, Ravenpaw had a friend. Ravenpaw had hope.

Ravenpaw explored the barn that day. It was pretty big, bigger than camp. He found a pigeon nest in the rafters, just too high to catch. He brought a bunch of the feathers for his nest, arranging them so they surrounded the soft moss, giving him a border around the hollow. In the Clan, he could never do this. Decoration wasn't necessary, so it was looked down upon. One time, he put a feather behind his ear for fun. You can imagine how well that went down with Tigerclaw.

Ravenpaw clambered up a pile of wood, probably for twoleg fires up into the rafters. He leapt from beam to beam like it was a tree... except no screeching mentor and no pressure. He enjoyed the rush of jumping about like a kit, it sent adrenaline through his veins, pumping as fast as a bird flew. He found the feather pile again and, just to spite Tigerclaw a little, stuck the longest, prettiest feathers behind his ear.

Barley didn't yell at him to stop ever, he just smiled and watched him mess about. Ravenpaw had never felt better, soaring like a bird from those beams. Smiling so wide it hurt and yet he couldn't stop, he never messed up. The barn didn't feel like Barley's barn anymore. It felt like home.

Ravenpaw finally came down when the sun was setting. Barley had already gotten food. Still buzzing, Ravenpaw sat down to eat reluctantly. Loner life was difficult to get used to but it sure as hell was fun. He was free. Free from order and rules and regulations and everything he cowered in fright of. He had free run of territory, good food, he had a warm place to stay, he had Barley.

Barley. Ravenpaw stared at the black and white cat. Maybe a little older than him, two moons at the most? He was mostly white, with dark grey-black patches dotted around his pelt. His light yellow eyes glittered in the low sunlight. Ravenpaw suddenly flushed red, realising that he'd stared a little too long at him. Barley looked at him, the traces of faint red on his cheeks too.

Ravenpaw got up quick, a little awkwardly and walked over to his nest. After clearing his moss and getting new moss, he curled up in his nest, his tail wound around him tightly. He shut his eyes, ready for whatever nightmares Starclan could throw at him. He had Barley now to help him through this.


End file.
